Student Opportunities

"I learned things in my time at the Investor Protection Center that I would not have learned in my traditional law school setting. I was forced to tap into the sides of being a lawyer that fall outside of the realm of law school theory. In dealing with the clients, managing people and expectations, it was something I’d never really experienced. This was often a very personal and stressful process for our clients and many were just waiting around to find out what’s going to happen with their lost investment. They are depending on us, which is a very tall order. But throughout this experience I’ve gained confidence in my skills and have learned to trust my judgment."
-- Navid Morè, JD '11

Many Investor Protection Center clients are elderly and people with lower incomes who have been deceived by stockbrokers or banks handling their investments or retirement accounts. Students gain priceless experience conducting financial analyses, understanding the work of stock market brokers and dealers, unpacking the role of investment advisors, working directly with clients, requesting documents, and partaking in all levels of discovery. They assess claims, determine damages, and make recommendations about which cases should be pursued. Students are actively involved in settlement negotiations and arbitration, prepare cases for trial, and try the cases. "Once out of law school, our students are able to hit the ground running," says Center Director Sam Tenenbaum. "They can let the partner know from Day One that they have handled these situations independently in their clinical work. They are familiar with terms, processes, and experts, and are far more comfortable dealing with clients than their peers without this experience."

As part of their training, students enjoy access to legal and financial experts on both plaintiff and defense sides. They learn an array of theories related to presenting and defending cases. Financial process and analyses can be complicated, but students receive assistance from among the best financial minds, including volunteers from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business.